


Surprise! by I M Shy

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Drama, First Times, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 03:26:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/793488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Blair is unexpectedly outted, Jim is not sure how to react.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprise! by I M Shy

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first piece of creative writing (not counting

## Surprise!

by I M Shy the 8th dwarf Bashfuls neurotic twin

Author's disclaimer: I don't own these guys, PetFly and UPN do that. I just like playing with their  
minds a little. 

forging sick notes after skipping class back in high school) so please be gentle with me. I couldn't have done this alone so I'd like to thank Brandy and Jenny Saypaw for their kind help with punctuation and grammar, as well as advice on what works and (more importantly) what doesn't. A huge thank-you hug goes out to Paul who has been my go-between and advisor throughout this whole process and who convinced me to actually allow people to read this story rather than letting it sit on my hardrive until I delete it during a computer housekeeping frenzy. By the way, this is strictly a G-rated enterprise - no peeking in bedroom windows for me yet. Of course,  
when my night goggles come in... 

Archivist's Note: This story was posted to the SXF list on June 9, 1997. 

* * *

Blair paused outside the door to the police office, tossing back his windblown hair. He thought, not for the first time, how much easier it would be to get it all chopped off. Of course he wouldn't, short hair was so not him. 

Blair sighed but then hurried on - he was going to be late for his class, and there was something really ironic about a teacher being late. He wasn't due here at all, but he had realized when he checked his wallet that he didn't have the cash for the groceries that he was supposed to have gotten last night, and they were out of nearly everything. The credit union where he kept his money had great rates but didn't give out ATM cards. So here he was, depending on Jim to get him out of another scrape. Sometimes he really hated that Jim always seemed so together and certain. 

Jim's desk was empty, but glancing around he spotted Jim in Simon's office talking with what looked to be half the department. "Great," Blair mumbled, "just great. Oh man, I am going to be so late." He shifted for a second from one foot to the next and rolled his eyes heavenward, knowing that he'd only see ceiling tiles but willing to hope for a hand with an wad of cash reaching down. Glancing at his watch again, Blair came to a decision - all he needed was the ATM card and that wouldn't really disrupt the meeting, right? 

* * *

Jim, meanwhile, had a tension headache the size of Texas, and he was pretty sure it was there to stay. The Cascade branch of the ACLU was sponsoring a march through downtown Cascade because one of the business owners had reportedly made it a practice not to hire minorities. It couldn't be proven, otherwise he'd be in jail; but the ACLU and the other businessmen around wanted him to know his practices were not welcome in Cascade. Jim was all for the idea, but the actual logistics were a nightmare, not to mention the fact that several of the businessmen seemed to be having second thoughts when they found out that one of the groups marching in the parade was going to be the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Society for Equal Employment Opportunities. 

Apparently the businessmen hadn't quite realized the irony of their desire to keep the group out of their civil rights parade. The head of the LBGT-EEO was a young academic named Stan Litchfield, who apparently worked at the University in some capacity as well. He was a nice enough fellow and all that, but... Jim sighed. As much as he denied it, he just didn't feel comfortable around guys who liked guys. It was their business, and he'd protect them, but he didn't want to use a locker room with one. 

Just then Simon looked up and gave a frustrated growl, stabbing Jim with a look that told him immediately what, or in this case, who, Simon was growling at. 

* * *

"Hey, sorry for interrupting here, guys! Jim, man, could you toss me the ATM card so I can actually make supper tonight? I promise I'll do better from now on, ok?" Blair blithely asked going for the unconcerned certainty feel, hoping against hope that Jim would decide to kill him later -- and would cool down before then. 

Jim glared at him for a second, then rolled his eyes and reached for his wallet, tossing him the card. "Dinner better be extra special tonight, Chief," he grumbled, turning back to the parade map. 

"Yeah, yeah, of course, Jim. Thanks!" Blair responded already halfway out the door. All of the sudden Stan, the LBGT-EEO head, glanced around and upon seeing Blair quickly stood up. "Hey Blair," he called excitedly. "Wow man, what's up? It's been years! I didn't know you had a thing for big authority figure type guys, but I'm glad to see you've settled down with someone and can be open about it even at work." 

Blair froze, staring at Stan... hearing every single beat of his heart as the blood slowly pooled to his feet. He didn't dare look at anyone, especially not Jim. <This is not good> his mind informed him, nearly causing him to have an hysterical laughing fit from the sheer understatement. 

* * *

Jim meanwhile was quite certain that someone was performing open-heart surgery on him without anesthesia. All he could do was stare from Blair to Stan and back again, waiting for Blair to tell this guy that it was a case of mistaken identity or something. <Blair, tell him! Tell him it's all a mistake! Come on!> Already the silence was conferring to everyone present that it was the truth, and slowly Jim heard the whispers start. 

"I always knew there was something strange about him." 

"Little fag, he should get tossed out on his ass right this minute, tricking us like that." 

The whispers went on, men who just minutes earlier were explaining to the businessmen that everyone marched against prejudice or none at all. These very men were finding offense at the presence of one of Them in the precinct. Jim started hearing his own name mentioned now, and the fact that he and Blair were rarely apart and even lived together. 

There was nothing he could do to stop the rumors now without kicking Blair out; and although he wasn't sure, he didn't think he wanted to do that. Blair was his friend... and no matter how uncomfortable the idea made him, he supposed he could deal with this new aspect of his friend. All he could do about the rumors was ignore them and make sure his friends knew the truth and could deny the rumors for him. 

Sighing, Jim stood up. "Blair," he said, gently but with steel, "don't you have a class or something?" Blair's eyes focused on him, uncertainty clouding them from their usual bright blue. "Go on; get to class; it's ok," Jim continued nodding to prove his sincerity. Blair mumbled something incoherent and stumbled out the doorway. Jim only hoped that he was up to driving to class and then teaching. Turning back to the group, seeing how they were all watching him, he grabbed the parade maps and quickly got down to business. 

* * *

Blair somehow got through the rest of the day without a serious mishap, although he was pretty certain that he stumbled into the janitor's closet by mistake and sat on a pail for a while thinking it was his desk. His brain just kept informing him that <this is not good...> and after the millionth or so repetition, the understatement had made him lose the insane desire to laugh. Now he was pretty certain he wanted to cry, which was equally ineffective. 

At the grocery store he grabbed whatever caught his attention and so got home with bags of orange and red things, some of which even he couldn't identify. He kept seeing the shock on Jim's face and the look begging him to deny everything. No, this was definitely not good, but somehow he was glad it was out. 

Well, ok, he supposed he was out now. He wasn't ashamed to be bi --but since he hadn't been attracted to a man since meeting Jim, and knowing how closed societies like police stations worked, he had thought that it would be a good thing to just stay in the closet so to speak. 

Well, maybe he had been attracted to one man since meeting Jim, that being Jim himself. Blair was pretty certain that it was just the close confines thing, though. He wasn't stupid enough to fall in love with a straight guy, no not Mr. Blair Sandburg, boy genius and anthropologist extraordinaire. 

Suddenly all thought left his head as he realized that maybe Jim would kick him out now, since living together was only supposed to be temporary anyway. The thought kicked him in the gut, sucking everything behind it into a void of pain at the thought of being without Jim. <Hmmph, so much for being too smart to fall in love> was his last coherent thought for several minutes, before being brought back to the present by Jim's key turning in the lock. 

* * *

Jim, meanwhile, had been having a perfectly miserable day. The gossip channel evidently had been broadcasting the news that Blair was into guys and that meant that he and Jim were an item to every and all passers-by. Even the hookers had looked him over, then commented how sad it was to see a fine hunk of man going to waste. 

He wasn't sure which was worse, the fact that several officers had been smirking and making cracks at him all day or the fact that many of his supposed friends had dropped by to congratulate him on finally getting his act together and realizing what a great thing he had with Blair. He finally had convinced them that there was nothing going on, and he needed help dispelling these rumors; but the effort was draining - and now he had to face Blair. 

* * *

The door slowly swung open, and finally the two contenders eyed each other waiting for the match to begin. It was bantam vs heavy weight and the stakes were high. 

The first thing that Jim noticed was how pale and scared Blair looked, the next that there was no supper cooked and waiting for him like there usually was. <Geez, he's outed so I have to starve> crossed his mind followed by <Uh-oh, I think he's going to pass out if he holds his breath much longer, so I guess I'd better say something> "What's for dinner?" came out immediately after, making Jim wince and Blair heave an explosive sigh. 

Blair's face crumpled with strain as he glanced down then up again at Jim almost shyly. "Jim, I'm so sorry, man! I just..." he trailed off, not knowing how to begin or where to go. Jim hadn't kicked him out yet, and that was a good sign and asking for supper must mean something - it was a symbol of forgiveness, an olive branch held out for friendship. Or he was simply hungry, you could never be certain with Jim. 

Jim glanced around and finally moved back to the couch, saying "Ok, I guess we do need to talk. Care to explain yourself, Chief? Now I'm pretty sure I would remember if you had told me you liked guys, which means you must have a little explaining to do for yourself." He paused, searching for the right words, "I think I deserve the truth, don't you?" He glanced up and got caught in deep blue eyes that were staring at him intensely. 

Blair always looked at him intensely, and he had never really thought about it. Now, all of the sudden, he was wondering if there might be more than academic hunger that he saw in those beautiful eyes. At that thought his head snapped up, and he found anger rushing through his veins. He was not like that! Blair was contaminating him! He had to get out before he could get worse! 

In his haste to escape he accidentally slammed into Blair, who was gingerly making his way to the other couch for their talk. Blair rebounded off Jim's hip and onto the edge of the table cracking his head as he went down. Jim froze, not quite believing what had happened. Blair just lay there as blood oozed from the cut on his temple. Jim's heart was pounding so hard he couldn't hear whether Blair's was beating at all, and his vision started clouding over. He couldn't stand the sight of a hurt Blair! Blair was meant to be treasured and handled delicately, despite his insistence at being up to anything Jim was. 

Memories crowded into Jim's mind -- all the times when Blair had been injured before he could swoop to Blair's rescue. The agony of seeing him in pain and not being able to stop it, and the worse pain of not knowing if Blair would even make it or not. The thought of Blair not being with him forever suddenly overloaded his emotional barriers casting into light the feelings that he had submerged for a long time now. Blair was his to protect and cherish, to love and to hold... For an instant Jim could swear he heard wedding bells tolling in the breeze, but that hallucinatory thought quickly snapped him back to the present. Blair was lying there hurt, and it was Jim's own fault that this had happened, because he was too busy being scared about his own feelings to watch where he was going. 

* * *

As Jim stood frozen in shock, Blair moaned faintly, quite certain if he moved he'd find his head sitting there beside him. He cautiously cracked an eye in the direction of the door and saw Jim looming over him with a look of complete horror and guilt. 

His movement seemed to galvanize Jim, causing him to drop to his knees and clutch Blair to his chest. Blair was certain he'd have given a few vital organs for this even yesterday, but right now he was pretty sure that he had given his head instead -- and it was one organ he needed even if it did seem full of butterflies and bright lights currently. Blair pushed Jim back slightly and opened his mouth to say something, he wasn't quite certain what yet, when suddenly Jim was kissing him. This was incredible -- he was floating on a wave of desire! He might even be willing to give up his head for this after all! 

* * *

Jim was lost in sensations. He had just thought he had lost Blair, and that brought all his feelings into focus. He wasn't sure what to do -- and the thought of what guys did together still made him feel weird, but somehow with Blair he felt like anything was possible. 

He deepened the kiss exploring further the softness of the slightly pouty lips, the faint rasp of cheek hair against his own, the tongue that battled his and then finally surrendered and by doing so won. The sensations blew circuit after circuit in his brain, causing all his certainties about himself to come crashing down into the arms of this petite curly-haired bundle of energy clutching him like a lifeline. 

Time went on, and oxygen being a necessity for life, eventually the two of them resurfaced. Jim cradled Blair's face in his calloused palm, slowly cupped his chin and softly kissed him, telling him with actions just how special Blair was to him. Blair, for his part, kept mumbling "love you" over and over again and seemed almost in shock. 

Jim traced a finger gently down Blair's cheek across his swollen mouth and said, very calmly "I love you too, Blair Sandburg. You've taken my life just like you've taken my apartment and turned it into something beautiful. I never realized before how much I loved you, as a friend and more." 

* * *

Blair savored the moment, knowing that for Jim Ellison showing that much emotion indicated just how deeply he felt about Blair. The little voice in his head cropped up again, <this is good, very very good>, and once again Blair almost laughed at the understatement. 

Suddenly Jim laughed out loud, startling Blair. He looked at Jim questioningly, wondering briefly if all those sci-fi movies were right and loved ones could read your mind? 

Jim just squeezed him tight and confused him by saying "I guess I'll have to change tactics and accept a few compliments, as well as break a few heads tomorrow." Before he could ask what that meant, Jim swooped Blair up and carried him off to the big bedroom. Blair soon decided he had better things to do... 

* * *

End Surprise!. 


End file.
